title: Effect of moist heat sterilisation on the pyrogenicity of cell wall components from Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: As opposed to endotoxins very little is known about the heat resistance of Gram positive pyrogens. The aim of this study is to examine the pyrogenic activity of the cell wall components lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus aureus after moist heat sterilisation. The pyrogenic activity is determined as the ability of the substances to induce interleukin-6 secretion in Mono Mac 6 cells. The standard terminal moist heat sterilisation procedures (121 degrees C for 15min and 134 degrees C for 3min) are not able to inactivate the pyrogenic activity of S. aureus lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan. However after longer treatment times the pyrogenic activity of lipoteichoic acid is removed at both 121 degrees C and 134 degrees C. In contrast the activity of peptidoglycan is not removed after 160min at neither 121 degrees C nor 134 degrees C where only a 2-log reduction is obtained. In conclusion the terminal moist heat sterilisation procedures described by the European Pharmacopoeia are not able to inactivate the interleukin-6 inducing activity of S. aureus lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2 Universitetsparken, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. lm@farma.ku.dk
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moesby
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Timm
authors.forename: Erik Wind
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000494:pharmacology; D011749:Pyrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000737:chemistry*; D013242:Sterilization; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D011749:Pyrogens; D013682:Teichoic Acids; C009900:lipoteichoic acid